In the Dead of Night
by AlyssOfTheIsle
Summary: Zuko's body quivered as he stared up at the ceiling, alone as he'd been for the last three years. Visions swirled around his head, silently mocking him, as was his punishment for trying to kill the Firelord. He hardly flinched as Azula stared down at him, not knowing or caring if she was real or not, a trail of blue lightning trailing from her fingertips. "Dad's gonna kill you."


**A/N**

 **I recently rewatched this whole series, and I was like, Ozai would rather have his son wandering the world when he's so worried of him disgracing their family? Especially once he actively joins Aang and attacks Ozai in The Day of Black Sun. Uh, I think not. So, be warned. Lots of Zuko angst. Enjoy?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own, and I respect those individuals who came up with this storyline because I love it so much.**

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"Dad's gonna kill you."

Zuko stared the demonic version of his little sister, weaving in and out of view as he hid under the bed sheets. Her eyes glowed as she snickered, blue lightning dancing between her fingertips.

"Aw, is baby Zuzu scared?"

His mom ran straight past his room, calling out for her son and seemingly not seeing him as Azula continued to taunt him with a nickname he'd once found cute.

"Dad's gonna kill you, Dad's gonna kill you," she sing-songed as she skipped around his room, setting things on fire with a flick of her fingers.

His mother sat on the futon in the corner, watching Zuko with sad eyes as Azula lit her cushions on fire.

"Wait!" he yelled, reaching for her.

She disappeared, leaving in her place his unseeing Grandfather Azulon. He screamed as the couch turned into a funeral pyre, hiding him from view. It disintegrated in a swirl of black and and red, leaving behind a pile of ashes.

He yelped as the bed suddenly disappeared, an empty black hole of darkness swallowing him up as he fell.

He landed painfully on a raised platform surrounded by howling flames, trapping him in the ring. Faceless spectators jeered and taunted him, laughing as they looked down on him. A loud roar startled him and he scrambled backwards, falling into a firebending stance as his father walked through the flames, snarling at his own son.

'Where's the General I'm supposed to fight', he wanted to ask, but his throat was too dry to speak as he stared in horror. Not his own _father_.

"Dad's gonna kill you," Azula whispered in his ear, twirling away with a laugh as flames exploded from the Firelord's fist and hit the side of his face. He screamed, falling back down to the ground as his face erupted in pain.

"Pathetic," his father stared down at him with a curled lip. "I have no need of a son without honor."

He cried out for forgiveness, his heart shattering as Ozai turned away from him and disappeared through the flames. Azula was back again, giggling as she danced around him, chanting in her still six year old body. "Kill you, kill you, Dad's gonna kill you."

He bowed his head, not bothering to move away as she stuck him down.

Zuko opened his eyes, staring into the bleak, white wasteland before him. The Avatar was his last hope. He needed to get home.

"Kill you, kill you," the voice whispered, echoing around the scattered icebergs.

He failed. Again and again and again. His crew sneered at him and gave up the only lead he had to Zhao. When they fought the Agni Kai, his father's face stared back at him.

He hid his left eye from view behind a blue mask, swords and a black uniform transforming him into a blue monster. He hardly noticed the demonic blue dragon curling around him as he stared at his bloody swords in horror. Surely, he hadn't done this? Not his own _people_. The dragon began crushing him, whispering in Azula's voice. "Dad's gonna-"

He was left for dead. The explosion buried him under the freezing water and debris, greedily stealing the air from his lungs. His scar hurt as Azula laughed at him, pointing and snickering from above the dock. He reached out his hand, but she shoved him back in the water.

Azula lies, Azula lies, Azula always-

Betrayal. Blue and amber eyes watched him accusingly as he followed the sister that had betrayed him more times than he could count. Couldn't they see he had to do this? It was all he knew how to do-it was his duty. The eyes followed him everywhere, accusing and glaring and whispering unheard things.

He finally saw his father. His father welcomed him home.

"Dad's gonna kill you," Azula whispered, subtly laying traps around him hidden by what seemed to be good intentions.

He leaves. The eyes follow.

"Monster!" Katara screamed, waves of water forming behind her. "Monster!"

Behind her, Toph hid her feet from view, staring at him with watering eyes.

"You killed my people," Aang appeared behind him, eyes glowing. "You killed them all."

A glowing hand touched his head, ripping away his bending, and Zuko screamed.

The guards delivering the prisoner's daily meal glanced at each other, ignoring the rattling chains and whimpered pleas with practiced ease.

"He's usually not so loud," the first one muttered irritably, scratching his ear. "Wonder what's with him. Think the drugs are finally getting to him?"

The second guard shrugged, closing the food flap."Who cares-he's been here for three years. Not like he can't handle a few hours more."

The silent hallway echoed with the prisoners' yells, and the second guard sighed, locking the heavy metal door and sealing the empty prison wing, save for its single prisoner. The sign boasting solitary confinement stared at him as he locked up the extra braces around the door.

"Figures we got the short straw this month. At least we don't have to come back until next week," the first guard shrugged, tucking the key away in it's own highly secured vault.

The second one laughed nervously, continuing up the steps. "I think I'd rather have lavatory duty then come back again. Think Agnus would switch with me?"

The two ascended, leaving the quivering screams behind them as they made their way further into the interior of the Boiling Rock.

Inside, Zuko's body quivered as he stared up at the ceiling, alone as he'd been for the last three years. Visions swirled around his head, silently mocking him, as was his punishment for trying to kill the Firelord. He hardly flinched as Azula stared down at him, not knowing or caring if she was real or not, a trail of blue lightning trailing from her fingertips.

"Dad's gonna kill you," Azula smirked. "No, really, he is."

 **A/N**

 **...so ya. There's this. I have so many starts to stories that I need to follow through with. Thinking about just leaving this as a one shot. Tell me what you think! (hint hint review). Hope y'all are having an awesome summer so far.**

 **Kisses!**

 **Alyss**


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